Officials in Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s office said Wednesday that they fully expect that $50 million in federal funds will cover all the costs related to providing security for the Democratic National Convention.
Katherine Archuleta, the mayoral liaison to the convention, said her office is in constant negotiations with the federal Department of Justice to get clearance for using the money to make necessary purchases.
“I am not expecting to go over that $50 million,” Archuleta told City Council members during a committee meeting. “We have been very, very conservative on our estimates.”
Council members at the committee meeting expressed concern but eventually forwarded to the full council consideration of $1.85 million in upfront costs for liability and workers’- compensation insurance. Those policies would cover Denver police as well as the outside law enforcement the city needs for the convention.
Archuleta said the city is waiting for the Justice Department to approve that expenditure along with about $23 million in other requested expenditures.
Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said she is concerned the city does not have a sufficient plan to protect the city’s taxpayers if the $50 million in federal funds is deficient. She added she also would like assurances on how the city would pay for the insurance costs in the event federal officials refuse to pay for them.
She said that a closed-door briefing Archuleta provided the council did not ease her concerns and that she fears the city has underestimated some of the costs associated with the convention.
